1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in tire pressuring devices and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a sealing device for facilitating the pressuring of tubeless tires.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The pressuring of tubeless tires, and particularly the tires utilized on large vehicles, is a problem in that the inner periphery of the depressured tire is loosely disposed around the outer periphery of the tire wheel, and the application of air under pressure into the interior of the tire leaks through the space between the tire bead and the wheel rim. It is quite difficult to seal this hiatus between the tire and the wheel, and in fact the tire may explode during the pressuring operation, causing injury and perhaps even fatality. Devices have been developed for overcoming this problem, such as those shown in the Ranallo U.S. Pat. No. 2,874,759, issued Feb. 24, 1959, and entitled "Bead Seating and Inflating Device for Tubeless Tires;" the Varvaro U.S. Pat. No. 2,874,761, issued Feb. 24, 1958, and entitled "Bead Seating and Inflating Device for Tubeless Tires;" the Ericson et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,280,880, issued Oct. 25, 1966, and entitled "Method of and Apparatus for Inflating Tubeless Tires;" the Corless U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,469, issued Jan. 5, 1971, and entitled "Tire Bead Seater;" the Jordan U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,698, issued Aug. 3, 1971, and entitled "Tire Installation Device;" the Kaminskas et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,109, issued Apr. 25, 1972, and entitled "Device for Mounting and Inflating Tubeless Tires;" the Middleton, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,995, issued May 30, 1972, and entitled "Diaphragm Bead Spreader;" and the Graml U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,005, issued Aug. 10, 1976, and entitled "Inflation Sealing. Device for Tubeless Tires for Motor Vehicles." These devices have not proven satisfactory in the solution of the problem. For example, the Ericson et al patent discloses a device typical of that most widely used today, and the sealing ring must be held down by hand and requires substantially constant adjusting. Even with this operation, the device frequently fails, and does not result in a safe and efficient pressuring of the tire. In addition, devices of the type shown in the Kaminskas et al, Jordan and Ranallo patents are frequently "blown out" of the engagement with the tire and wheel as the pressure within the tire increases, thus not only resulting in an inadequate pressuring of the tire, but also creating a hazard to the personnel surrounding the tire.